In like manner it was agreed by the community with regard to Brother John ten Water that he should be sent to the Fount of the Blessed Mary where there seemed to be notable scarcity; yet by his lowliness and his great importunity that he should by no means be parted from the Brothers, he did overcome this resolution.

But the well spring of their goodness ceased not with these, rather it did flow forth and reach all men, especially poor Clerks and members of the Houses of the New Devotion.  What man did ever return from them empty-handed? for if the petitioner were rich, he brought back counsel, if he were poor he received help.

XXVII. Concerning Gherard of Renen.

There was in those days, that is, amongst the first Fathers, a man of great age, who was by no means the least of his own folk, and his name was Gherard of Renen.  He would sojourn for long spaces of time with the Brothers at Windesem, for he was bound to them by an exceeding love:  and being on a time in the House at Utrecht wherein I dwelt, and in the presence of a certain honourable matron who was his kinswoman, he began to speak of the aforesaid Brothers, their manner of life and their virtues, and I myself was there present also.  So then this woman was suddenly kindled to so great fervour by the things that she had heard that she suddenly burst forth with these words:  “Ah, if I were a man, and mine own master, no one should hinder me from going to such a community.”  And I verily believe that until this man told his tale I myself had never heard mention of Windesem.

XXVIII. Of the privileges obtained for the binding together of the Chapters.

After a short while it came to pass that three daughters were born to the House at Windesem, namely Eemsteyn, the House of the Blessed Virgin, and the House of the New Light near Horn.  And when in this manner the number of the monasteries had grown to four, by the advice of Florentius and the other Fathers aforenamed, they sent to the Curia at Rome in the time of Boniface the Pope, who granted them leave to gather together a General Chapter together with authority and fitting privileges and so forth; for up to this time they had agreed to remain directly under the rule of the Bishop.  Gherard of Bronchorst, who hath been named above, did take upon him this mission with all devotion, but Reyner Minnenbode, the founder of the monastery at Eemsteyn paid, as it is said, all the expenses thereof in most liberal wise.

XXIX. Of their manner of holding the Chapter.

But when the Fathers and Brothers of these four Houses held a Chapter in their humble fashion, the Fathers of the congregations whose names are given above would come together, or at least some of them, and sit them down to deal with matters concerning not the acquiring of worldly wealth, but the conversion of souls and the maintenance of the common good.  And at that time all were as it were one fold and one flock, and in very deed one body in Christ.